Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Zottegem Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Zottegem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,517 in Brussels versus $2,077 in Zottegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,814 in Brussels versus $3,059 in Zottegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,112 in Brussels versus $4,040 in Zottegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 21% more expensive than Zottegem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 88% above, Zottegem 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.73 €24.59

$24.96 €21.36

15.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 €77.8

$74.8 €64.1

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.81 €12.67

$12.66 €10.84

16.98%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.06

$4.03 €3.45

17.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.71

$2.62 €2.24

20.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.58

$3.12 €2.67

-3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.08

$5.18 €4.43

37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €4.90

$4.69 €4.02

21.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.31 €1.13

12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.58

$2.87 €2.45

4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.40

$2.53 €2.17

10.67%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.12

$3.84 €3.29

25.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.73 €14.32

$17.53 €15.01

-4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 €11.70

$12.12 €10.38

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.85 €16.14

$21.03 €18.00

-10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 €2.61

$2.63 €2.26

15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.10

$2.37 €2.03

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$2.27 €1.94

18.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.81

$2.84 €2.43

15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.27

$2.12 €1.82

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.11 €1.81

15.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.42 €1.22

16.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.89 €0.76

25.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 €10.79

$12.94 €11.07

-2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 €7.81

$8.35 €7.15

9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.21

$1.68 €1.44

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 €2.81

$1.99 €1.71

64.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 €2.53

$2.93 €2.51

1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 €50.8

$56.4 €48.26

5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 €6.35

$5.76 €4.93

28.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.07

$2.44 €2.09

-0.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.98 €29.94

$37.81 €32.36

-7.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.59

$1.92 €1.64

-3.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.4K €29.5K

$33.3K €28.5K

3.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.6K €30.4K

$30.4K €26.0K

16.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$264 €226

$204 €174

29.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.23 €18.17

$25.14 €21.52

-15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 €48.37

$51.8 €44.29

9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 €35.02

$38.05 €32.57

7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.02 €26.56

$16.64 €14.25

86.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 €12.65

$15.02 €12.86

-1.60%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,110 €950

$605 €518

83.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K €18.9K

$13.8K €11.8K

60.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.3

$105 €89.7

-0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.85 €42.67

$48.74 €41.72

2.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.5

$109 €93.6

4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €130

$161 €138

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 €1,137

$914 €782

45.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €924

$762 €652

41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 €1,972

$1,347 €1,153

70.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 €1,503

$1,108 €948

58.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 €4,365

$3,665 €3,137

39.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,823 €3,272

$2,466 €2,111

55.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 €3,041

$2,294 €1,964

54.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.42

6.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brussels: April 26, 2026

Last update for Zottegem: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,329 in Brussels and $914 in Zottegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Brussels vs $75.0 in Zottegem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $350 per month, with Zottegem cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brussels vs Zottegem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zottegem wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zottegem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,329 in Brussels versus $914 in Zottegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zottegem – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,077 in Zottegem versus $2,517 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Zottegem but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Zottegem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brussels and Zottegem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zottegem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.